


Hang Fire

by Alpined



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 21:38:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4641105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alpined/pseuds/Alpined
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set at an indeterminate time after Season 2, Ep 20. One of LaFontaine's plans goes awry (shockingly) and Laura finds herself looking after a wounded Carmilla. Feelings ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hang Fire

That had been stupid. So so stupid.

Laura lets out a growl of anger, and would have literally facepalmed in frustration if both her arms hadn’t been busy supporting Carmilla’s nearly dead (fully dead, technically) weight. The light of the moon slipping between the tree limbs above them is the only thing lighting the narrow dirt path they’re following.

 _“This’ll work guys,”_ Laura mutters sarcastically, imitating LaFontaine. _“We just need a little vampire help to get into the university mausoleum, then we grab the amulet and we’re out. The amulet neutralizes Baron Vordenberg’s suped-up minions, everyone declares a truce, and all is right with the world. Easy peasy.”_

Laura snorts. “Easy peasy my tush. Easy peasy does not imply a mausoleum full of giant lizard-monsters with 6-inch claws and a taste for stupid, plucky college students. Easy peasy does not imply the colossal number of Summer Society and Zeta jerk-faces waiting for us after we barely managed to escape said lizard-monsters. Easy peasy—” 

Her rant is interrupted by a faint groan from Carmilla.

“Carm?” Laura says, her tone instantly switching from irritated to concerned. She stops in her tracks and shifts her hold on Carmilla so she can see her face. Carmilla’s head lolls backwards, her eyes still closed. She doesn’t make any other noise. “Hang in there, Carm,” Laura whispers urgently. She checks Carmilla’s abdomen, but the bandage still seems appropriately tight, though Laura thinks the giant blotch of blood seeping into the fabric might have gotten bigger. “We’re almost there.”

Laura’s not lying. Only about five minutes later, they arrive _there_ , which to the unpracticed eye just looks like a patch of leaf-colored earth a few dozen yards off the path. Gently, Laura helps Carmilla’s body to the ground. Then she takes a step away and feels around with her foot until she finds the hidden handle. She bends over and lifts the trap door, grunting a little with the weight. Once it’s open, she pulls out her pocket flashlight from her bag (it only took one week at Silas before she started carrying at least two on her person at all times) and pops it in her mouth so her hands will be free. She bends over to pick Carmilla up again. Carmilla is slight, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a struggle for Laura to lift her, especially now that some of the adrenaline from before has worn off. She ends up half-carrying, half-dragging Carmilla down the wooden stairs leading into the hidden room under the earth. After gently laying Carmilla on the ground, Laura goes back up the stairs. She does a quick scan to make sure no one saw them, then pulls the heavy door down behind her.

*****

The accommodations aren’t exactly swanky. They might even be called macabre by someone who hadn’t been attending Silas, where “macabre” is pretty much the norm. They’re in an unfinished room – really a lair, if Laura is being honest with herself. Two ancient and uncomfortable looking wooden chairs are on opposite ends of the room. A small stone cistern full of water is at the far end of the room. A plain stone table and an old-fashioned bed with an incongruously modern-looking comforter and pillows are the only other furnishings. 

There are also several electric lanterns scattered throughout the room, which Laura quickly begins to turn on. The lanterns are Danny’s – this is her secret place. She’d taken Laura there once, back when they were still figuring things out. Danny had stumbled upon it during a stag hunt or boar kill or capture the flag event, or something equally strange. Danny went there sometimes if she wanted ultimate privacy, which had surprised Laura at first – Danny didn’t seem like the type who ever needed that type of solitude. But if there was anything Laura’s time at Silas had taught her, it was that people (and vampires) were generally much more complicated than you thought.

As Laura, Carmilla, LaFontaine, and Perry had been fleeing the mausoleum, hot lizard-breath on their tails, they had practically collided with a patrol of Zetas and Summer Societiers, including Danny. Instantly, Danny had tackled Laura, and Laura had felt her heart drop at the thought that her friend was finally choosing sides. But then Danny had whispered in her ear, quick and fierce, “The hideout in the woods – no one will look for you there. Don’t get killed.” And then she cried out as if Laura had hit her, flying backwards in a truly impressive display of physical acting. 

Then the lizards had burst out of the mausoleum and the Summer Societiers had their hands full. In the ensuing chaos, Laura had heaved Carmilla up from where she was slumped on the ground and had taken off towards the woods, praying that LaFontaine and Perry would be alright on their own. She figures the Zetas and SSers won't hold a grudge if they all unite to kick lizard butt.

And so here they are, safe and sound in a creepy underground lair. Safe, except for the fact that Carmilla is bleeding to death.

*****

“Carmilla?” Laura says, looking down at the vampire where she’s now lying on the bed, her limbs seeming boneless and still. Carmilla’s face is even paler than usual, her expression drawn in pain even in unconsciousness. Laura feels a sharp swell of panic, panic that she hasn’t allowed herself to feel until now. Her thoughts had been on escaping, on getting somewhere safe. She hadn’t considered what she would do once she got here.

She looks down at the bandage she had hastily wrapped around Carmilla while the others had been fending off the lizards. “Bandage” was too generous a word – it’s just her sweater, tied tight around Carmilla’s abdomen. Laura’s hands hover over the bandage, trembling. She doesn’t want to take it off – she knows that will only make it worse. But she doesn’t know what to do. Carmilla is bleeding to death, and there’s no blood available to help her heal. 

“Carmilla?” Laura says again, hearing the desperation in her voice. “Don’t die,” she says, her voice watery. “I don’t…I don’t think I would handle that well, you know? I mean, I really really wouldn’t. You can’t die on me again, okay? It would be…extremely poor form. I forbid it, do you hear me?” Carmilla doesn’t answer. Laura wraps her arms tightly around herself and hunches over, trying to still the heaving waves of panic washing over her. Then she straightens up and breathes in deep, telling herself to girl the hell up. She realizes what she needs to do.

She reaches out to brush hair away from Carmilla’s face, tracing the delicate lines of her cheekbones with her thumb. “Carm,” she whispers. “I’m going to need you to bite me, okay?” No response. “Big ol’ juicy neck here, just waiting.” Still nothing. Grimacing, Laura sits on the edge of the bed. She lifts the upper part of Carmilla’s body until it’s slumping against her. Gently, she cups the side of Carmilla’s face. A flood of memories fill her.

_The box of Thin Mints Carmilla left on her desk back when she was pretending she didn’t care. (“No biggie – I ate a Girl Scout” was Carmilla’s shrugged and flimsy defense.)_

_The first time Laura walked into the room after a late night studying, finding Carmilla curled up on the floor like a cat, face younger in sleep. (The cat pose made sense, in retrospect)._

_Waking up slowly with the morning sun in her eyes, feeling Carmilla’s hand curled around her naked hip and her breath falling evenly on the back of Laura’s neck as she slept. (The wonder of those mornings never lessened.)_

_The first time she woke up and reached for Carmilla, suddenly remembering that they weren’t sharing the same bed for the first time in weeks._

Laura closes her eyes, feeling Carmilla’s solid weight against her. She opens her eyes and grips Carmilla’s face with both hands, gently but firmly lowering Carmilla’s mouth to her neck. She presses down on the back of Carmilla’s head until she feels Carmilla’s lips part slightly and feels the faint touch of her teeth. At first nothing happens. But then she feels Carmilla breathe in deep, her mouth opening a little farther as she smells the blood flowing just beneath skin. Carmilla’s hands, limp before, suddenly ball into fists, clutching at Laura’s clothes. Laura feels Carmilla’s mouth open wider, and she closes her eyes.

“If you could try really really hard not to kill me, that would be super,” she says, her chipper tone at complete odds with the thoughts she’s having. Then she cries out in pain as Carmilla, still mostly unconscious, instinctively sinks her teeth into the soft flesh of Laura’s neck.

The pain is bearable at first – it’s like it was the first time Carmilla did this. But then Carmilla seems to wake up a bit more, and her body takes over as she grasps Laura tightly and sinks her teeth in even deeper. Laura lets out a gurgling noise of pain and tries to push Carmilla off, but Carmilla is too strong. 

“Carm,” she gasps out. “Carm.” Then she feels herself tumbling into unconsciousness.

*****

“Laura. Laura.” The voice is insistent, drenched in worry and fear. Laura, slowly swimming out of unconsciousness, recognizes it as Carmilla’s and lets it bring her back into the world. She opens her eyes slowly, squinting against the dim light of the lanterns. She’s on the bed, and Carmilla is leaning over her, her face etched with concern. As she sees Laura opening her eyes, the wave of relief in Carmilla is so obvious it transforms her face.

“Hi,” Laura croaks out, hazarding a small smile.

“Hi,” Carmilla replies softly, the corner of her lips curling up just slightly. “You’re alive.”

“Right back at you,” Laura says, and feels relief well up inside her as well. Alive, both of them. What more can you ask for, in this world they’re in?

The dopey look on Carmilla’s face only lasts a moment, and then her brow furrows and she shakes her head angrily. “What were you thinking? You stupid, idiotic human – you could have died.” She turns around a throws her arms in the air, pacing to the other side of the room as she continues talking. “You couldn’t think of a better plan? You couldn’t find blood anywhere else – you had to offer yourself up like a fucking Capri Sun? Do you have any idea how close I came to sucking you dry? Vampires in the state I was in rarely have self control. I should have done it, you know, should have drained every last drop – just to teach you a lesson. I bet you’d think twice about idiotic decisions if you were dead, wouldn’t you?”

As Carmilla is ranting, Laura feels a flood of emotions hit her in quick succession – the confusion of waking up, relief at the unexpectedness of them both surviving, lingering pain from the punctures in her neck, bone-deep fatigue from the last six hours. It’s too much, just now, and she has to roll on her side and curl into a ball, pressing her forehead against her knees. She feels sobs trying to break through and wills herself to stop – she’s not a child, and she’s been through worse. 

Carmilla pivots to continue pacing and catches sight of Laura mid-rant. Instantly she’s at Laura’s side, perched on the side of the bed.

“Hey,” she says gently, cupping the side of Laura’s face. “Hey. I’m sorry. I didn’t…I was just scared. It could have ended so much worse.”

“I know,” Laura says, her voice muffled from where her face is buried in her knees. Even through the blood covering Carmilla’s shirt, she still smells like Carmilla, and the extra emotions that brings aren’t helping. “It’s not that. I’m just…I have really low blood sugar right now, you know?” She lifts her head up to meet Carmilla’s gaze. “I could really use something to eat.”

Carmilla blinks. “Oh. Okay, well, I could probably kill a small deer or something for you. We don’t have a fire, but a little deer tartar never hurt anyone.”

Laura grimaces. “Thanks, but I’ll pass. If you grab my backpack, there’s food in there – I think there’s trailmix?”

“Trailmix?” Carmilla asks incredulously. “You carry trailmix with you?”

“Yeah,” Laura says defensively. “You get locked in enough basements, lairs, and closets, and you learn to travel prepared. I never go anywhere now without a flashlight, a swiss army knife, and a snack.”

“A snack?” Carmilla asks, and Laura can practically see her fighting down the smile creeping up her face. She shakes her head. “You’re a weirdo, Hollis,” she says as she gets up to grab Laura’s bag.

“You’re one to talk,” Laura scoffs. She can feel the intensity of her emotions fading, and she takes some deep breaths to keep it down. Carmilla rummages in the bag and pulls out the trailmix, handing it to Laura. Laura tears the package open and scarfs down the food. It really does help. “There’s water in there too,” she mumbles around a mouthful of peanuts, and Carmilla silently hands the water bottle over.

A few quiet minutes of crunching later, Laura sighs and leans back in the bed. “Thanks,” she says. “And sorry for the waterworks.”

Carmilla shrugs. “Whatever.” Carmilla looks around the lair. “What is this place?”

“Danny found it a while ago,” Laura says. “It’s a ways off the Mistal path. Danny said we’d be safe here.”

For once, Carmilla doesn’t have anything biting to say about Danny. She just sniffs and says, “I’ve slept in more cheerful coffins. Even that hole in the ground you’ve been keeping us in has better décor.”

“Yeah, well, you’re gonna have to stay here at least a little longer,” Laura retorts. “We probably need to hole up here until the evening when we can sneak past the patrols.”

Carmilla scowls. “I hate hiding from these pathetic human minions. Before the Baron gave them powers I would have made a buffet of all of them for daring to stand in my way.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a big bad badass vampire and you don’t give a damn about your reputation,” Laura says, waving her hand. Carmilla glares at her. Laura sighs. “How’s your stomach? That lizard…well, it didn’t look good.”

“I’m ashamed I let it get me,” Carmilla says disgustedly. “I got sloppy.”

“Well, you did disembowel two of them before the third got you,” Laura points out. “We all would have been dead if you hadn’t.” Carmilla shrugs. “But your stomach – are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Carmilla says. She pulls up her shirt and Laura sees six wicked-looking scars slashed across Carmilla’s abdomen, already fading. It’s clear Carmilla has used the water from the cistern to at least perfunctorily clean up most of the blood.

“Good,” Laura says with a nod, though the sight of those scars makes her ill all over again. A new wave of tiredness hits her and she falls back on the bed. “I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. We’ve got time to kill – I’m going to sleep. You should too.”

“I’m fine,”Carmilla says dismissively.

“Boloney,” Laura responds, propping herself up on her elbow. “I know something like that takes it out of even vampires. Don’t be stupid and don’t be weird about it. Get in the bed and get some rest. You can keep a foot away from me if you can’t stand to be near me.”

Carmilla looks at her like she either wants to smack her or bite her again. But finally she rolls her eyes. “Fine, cupcake. Scoot over. You’re always such a bed hog.”

Rolling her own eyes, Laura rolls to the far end of the bed and Carmilla slides onto the other side, her back carefully to Laura. Laura studies her back for a moment, the slight frame that conceals so much power beneath it. The arch of her lower back, the faint outline of her ribs through her shirt. Parts of Carmilla she once loved to run her hands over. A different time. 

Laura sighs and turns over so she’s facing away from Carmilla. It’s only moments before she’s fallen into a dreamless sleep.

*****

Laura wakes slowly, her mind and body calm and content. There’s a warm weight pressed against the front of her. When she opens her eyes, she realizes it’s Carmilla curled into her. Laura’s hand is draped over Carmilla’s waist, her nose pressed against Carmilla’s dark hair. Laura breathes in, deep, and a rush of familiar feelings hits her like a sledgehammer. Unconsciously, her arm tightens around Carmilla’s stomach, and she feels Carmilla stir. 

Laura stops moving, sure now that Carmilla is awake. She doesn’t know what to do. She knows she should disentangle herself immediately – let Carmilla say something snarky and then pretend like they weren’t just playing spoons. But this feels so right that Laura can’t bear to let go just yet. And she notices that Carmilla isn’t moving either.

Laura becomes aware of Carmilla’s tense stomach muscles under her hand. Without really meaning to, she lets her thumb graze across the sliver of skin from where Carmilla’s shirt has risen up. She feels a slight intake of breath from Carmilla, but no other reaction. Laura’s nose is buried in the hair at Carmilla’s neck. She pushes in, just a little, and lets her lips rest against the cool skin where Carmilla’s throat and shoulder meet. It’s not a kiss – just the ghost of lips. Testing.

She feels a shiver go through Carmilla’s body. Then Carmilla quickly turns over so she’s facing Laura. Her expression is serious, almost angry.

“What are you doing?”

At the anger in her voice, Laura pulls back a bit. “I’m—I’m sorry,” she stutters. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have – I just got caught up.” She begins to sit up but Carmilla pulls her back down, hard.

“No. You can’t just do that. Tell me – what do you want?”

Laura takes a deep breath, preparing an honest answer. “I want you. I miss you.” She sees Carmilla’s eyes soften and steels herself to go on. “But it can’t change anything. We’re still…who we are. Nothing’s changed. I just wanted to forget, just for a moment. It was stupid.”

Pain flickers across Carmilla’s face, replaced almost instantly by a sardonic smile. “How very progressive of you. You think you can just nuzzle into me and expect me to agree to a one-day stand? Think we can bump uglies and then go on with our lives the way it’s been?”

“Of course not,” Laura retorts defensively. “I said I was sorry.” She starts to get up again. “I—“

Her words are interrupted when Carmilla pulls her down into a long, savage kiss.

Laura sinks into the kiss immediately, wrapping her arms around Carmilla and pressing the rest of her body as close to her as she can. The kiss is urgent and messy with weeks of repressed feeling. Laura can feel Carmilla’s hands running all over her body, bringing thrills each place they land. Forcefully, Carmilla rolls them over until she’s on top, mouth never losing contact with Laura’s. Carmilla’s hand slides up Laura’s shirt and Laura gasps, feeling Carmilla grin against her mouth. Carmilla tugs at Laura’s shirt and Laura shucks the thing off as quickly as she can, eager for Carmilla’s lips again. Expertly, Carmilla unhooks Laura’s bra and then her mouth is kissing up Laura’s stomach, across her ribs, over the swell of her breast before her tongue snakes along Laura’s nipple. Laura gasps and arches upwards. Carmilla nips at Laura’s nipple before licking her way along Laura’s collarbone and neck. Laura can feel her pause at the healing puncture wounds, can feel Carmilla’s deep intake of breath and self-control before she runs her tongue over the spot and places a gentle kiss over it. It might have squicked Laura out if she weren’t so fucking hot right now.

Carmilla’s never been patient, so Laura’s not surprised when she reaches down to efficiently tug Laura’s pants off. Laura’s underwear quickly follows, and then Carmilla is buried between her legs – no teasing, no buildup. Laura moans and bucks into Carmilla, grasping wildly at Carmilla’s hair to pull her in deeper. Carmilla’s tongue is circling Laura’s clit, drawing her closer and closer. Then, suddenly, her mouth is gone.

Laura opens her eyes to see Carmilla has slid her body along the length of Laura’s until they’re face to face. Laura can’t help it – a whine of need escapes her and sees an answering smile of satisfaction flicker across Carmilla’s face. Laura becomes painfully conscious that Carmilla is full dressed and Laura’s fully naked; Carmilla in control and Laura a writhing mess beneath her. Carmilla leans in and whispers in Laura’s ear, “What do you want, cupcake?”

Laura wants to have more pride, wants to refuse Carmilla this vindictive satisfaction. But she can’t – she wants her too much, she misses her too much. “Please, Carmilla,” she gasps. “Please make me come.”

Carmilla smirks, but there’s also a flicker of anticipation in her eye that tells Laura this isn’t as one-sided as Carmilla’s trying to pretend it is. Carmilla leans down for a bruising kiss, then slips back down to bury herself between Laura’s legs. Laura moans, and she doesn’t care how desperate she sounds. It’s only a few moments before Laura is coming, bucking against Carmilla’s mouth and crying out again and again.

Laura is panting as Carmilla pulls herself up and rests along the length of Laura’s body. Gently, Carmilla places her hand on Laura’s belly as it rises and falls, and letting her nose rest against the side of Laura’s face, as if she’s breathing her in.

Laura turns her head and Carmilla meets her for a softer kiss. Laura turns to her side and begins to slide her hand up Carmilla’s shirt but Carmilla stops the movement with her own hand. “It’s fine,” she says quietly. “This is what I want right now.”

Laura nods, trying to read Carmilla’s face. Her dark eyes are hooded, and Laura knows too well that getting Carmilla to talk about how she’s feeling is impossible if she’s not willing. So Laura leans forward and places a sweet, lingering kiss on Carmilla’s lips. Then she rolls over and fits herself into the curve of Carmilla’s body, like she used to. It’s not long before she’s fallen asleep.

*****

When Laura wakes up for a third time, it’s without the weight of Carmilla pressed against her. She rolls over and realizes the sound of the trap door closing is what woke her up. Carmilla is walking down the stairs, having clearly just taken a look outside. Realizing with a start that she’s still naked, Laura quickly feels around the side of the bed until she finds her clothes and slips them on. Carmilla pretends there are some very interesting carvings along the edge of the cistern that keep her from looking Laura’s way as she changes.

“Moon’s up, buttercup,” Carmilla says once Laura’s finally dressed. “Time to book it out of our charming accommodations.”

Laura nods and grabs her backpack, slinging it over her shoulders. “Once more into the breach,” she says with faux cheerfulness.

Carmilla snorts. “Yeah, can’t wait to get back to the ginger brigade and that hole in the floor. Let’s hope Matzka didn’t kill any of your idiot friends out of boredom in my absence. Though that might be an improvement.”

Laura just rolls her eyes. As Carmilla begins to walk back up the stairs, Laura reaches out to touch her arm. “Carmilla – “

“It’s fine, kiddy,” Carmilla interrupts, turning to her. Her smile is wry and sad. “I’ve been around the world a few times, remember? It’s all just a blip on my cosmic timeline at this point. Now let’s go.”

Laura nods and follows her up the stairs. They walk into the cool night air, moonlight casting twisted shadows on the ground, leaving it all behind.


End file.
